volpin



March 1, 1955 A. s. VOLPIN Re. 23,957

QUICK SEALING AUTOMATIC SEALING GATE VALVE Original Filed Aug. .27, 19513 Sheets-Sheet l V 20 A/exan oer S' gk/n A TTORNE Y March 1, 1955 A.VOLPIN QUICK SEALING AUTOMATIC SEALING GATE VALVE 5 shets-shee' 2Original Filed Aug. 27, 1951 A/ex an oer J. l/o L01)? INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY March 1, 1955 S,VQLP1N Re. 23,957

QUICK SEALING AUTOMATIC SEALING GATE VALVE Original Filed Aug. 2'7, 1951s Sheets-Sheet s I Am 23 ATTORNEY QUICK SEALING AUTOMATIC SEALING GATEVALVE Alexander s. Volpin, Miami Beach, Fla.

8 Claims. (Cl. 137 -24612) "United States; P t h f0."1.

Matter enclosed heavy' brackets II] appears in the original patent butforms no part of this reissue specification; matter printedln italicsindicates the additions made by reissue valves have been devisedheretofore, but it has been found in actual practice that, contrary tothe usual expectation, the sealing material, in instances, does not flowfrom the reservoir into the distribution groove to maintain a seal. Thisis particularly true if there is a small leak. Theoretically one wouldsuppose that if Reinued -Mar.,1, 1955 lubricant seal automatically. Thisgreater dilferential pressure is due to the fact that, in the secondsituation, leakage resistance is greater on the outer area andrelatively low on the inner area since, when the valvc is in closedposition, the inner area bleeds into the down stream zone of greatlylower pressure.

One important object of the invention is to alter the distributiongroove and the valve member and seat construction so that there isprovided at the down stream seat a pair of annular spaced sealing areas,the inner of which is sealed because of the presence of the sealingmaterial and the outer of which is sealed by virtue of a metal-to-metalseal between the gate and the seat member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bypass in the gate whenit is in closed position to permit a flow of sealing material from thereservoir and seat through the valve face to the distribution groove.

Another object of the invention is'to provide an offset sealing facebetween the distribution groove and the flow passage to allow relativelyfree escape of line fluid entrapped in the groove, whereby sealingmaterial may quickly flow from the reservoir into such offset face tomaintain a sealing material seal.

there is leakage at the down stream flow passage, then the sealingmaterial in the reservoir would follow such reduction in pressure andflow into the down stream in pressure due to such leakage, and thedistribution groove as a matter of fact does not have much if anysealing material therein.

Sealing material employed in this type of scaling is more or lessviscous and is injected into a reservoir. It was presupposed that anyleakage, however small, would encourage the sealing material to flowfrom the reservoir and into the distribution groove with the resultantsealing of the down stream port. It was therefore an amazing discoveryto find that-the down stream distribution groove, in instances, did not.receive sealing material from the reservoir because a small leak throughinto the down stream flow port also enters the reservoir and a certaintype of leak will prevent a substantial diflerential force beingestablished thereon and, as a consequence, the sealing material wouldnot flow from the reservoir into the down stream distribution groove.

The discovery of such a phenomenon constitutes the basis for the presentinvention, and it is therefore one of the objects of the presentinvention to provide a construction wherein a substantial differentialpressure will occur in the sealing material distribution system so as toencourage the flow of sealing material from the reservoir into thedistribution groove and to thereby quickly create a lubricant seal atthe down stream port at low as well as high line pressure.

Valves of this type generally employ an annular lubricant groove thatcompletely surrounds a flow port and provide two concentricmetal-.to-metal sealing surfaces adjacent the groove, to provide innerand outer sealing 'areas. A sealing material reservoir. exposed to linepressure is connected tothe groove so that the sealing material may beconducted to the groove in response to the line pressure. the outer areais inferior to that of the inner metal-t metal seal. In this situationthere would be little differential pressure across the reservoir and, asa result, the system does not provide an automatic lubricant seal.

In instances, the metal-to-metal seal of However,- when the oppositecondition exists, that is,

value than in the former and is suflicient to provide a Still anotherobject of the invention is to provide the combination of a full-portsealing groove, an inner seal ing material seal between the seat andgate, and an outer metal-to-metal seal between the seat and the gate,whereby the distribution groove is disposed between the inner and outerareas thereby to quickly establish and maintain a seal which is assuredbecause of the spaced sealing material seal and the metal-to-metal seal.

Other and further objects-of the invention will be readily apparent whenthe following description is considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings,

' wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of the valve, gate, and sealingconstruction with the gate member in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows, and illustrating the by-pass and the offsetfaces in combination with the metal-to-metal seal as between the gateand the seat.

Fig. 3 is a broken detailed sectional view illustrating the manner ofintroducing the sealing material through a fitting into the areaprovided between the seat and the body.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2 andillustrating the exposed face of the seat to indicate how the gatemember is handled in alignment and the spaced arrangement of the innerlubricant seal, the

distribution groove, and the outer metal-to-metal seal.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged and broken detailed sectional view of the bodyreservoir, outlet from the reservoir into the seat, and the conduitthrough the seat member to the by-pass in the gate face and thearrangement of the sealing material distribution groove.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken detailed view of the sealing system where,instead of an offset construction of the seat inner area, a simplescratch or vent has been provided in the standard form of innermetal-to-metal seal, whereby the resultant leak will produce an enhanceddifferential pressure across the barrier of the reservoir sufiicientlyto cause a flow of the sealing material through the distribution grooveand to maintain a sealing material seal.

In Fig. 1 the valve body is shown generally at 2, which body is in theshape of a cross in section as seen in Fig. 1. Such body has a flowpassage 3 therethrough which is in tersected by the gate chamber 4. Inthis, manner the upstream and downstream flow ports are created, andthese ports arein turnidentified by the seats 7 and 8, which arearranged on opposite sides of the gate chamber 4 and are shown in theform of annular rings or seats which have been inserted in the recesses9 and 10, respectively, where the flow passage 3 intersects the gatechamber 4.

The gate chamber 4 is closed by a bonnet 12 which may be threaded at 13on the upper extension 14 of the body. It is to be understood that suchbonnet may be bolted or otherwise connected. The body is arranged to bein- 3 sorted in a pipeline by connection of the flanges to complementaryflanges on the ends of the pipe. Of

course, such connection may be threaded as may be desired.

- The gate chamber is shown as extended into the base 18 of the body.The stop 2% may be arranged to hunt the downward movement of the gate 21which is arranged for sliding movement within the chamber 4. The gate ispreferably made up of two parts 22, which are normally urged apart bysuitable springs 23. The two parts are held by the seat rings 7 and 8,and the gate member as such will be raised and lowered by a wing nut 25which is aflixed in the recess 26. A threaded spindle 27-screws [at 28]into the wing nut 25 so that the gate member may be raised or lowered bythe rotation of the hand wheel 30 afiixcd at 31 on the non-circularupper end of the spindle or stem 27. The stem 27 is in turn arranged ina rotatable position by being held against vertical movement by means ofthe [collars] collar 32 [and 33,] arranged on the spindle 27 about thethrust ring 33. A suitable antifriction bearing 34 serves to reduce thefrictional resistance to turning of the stem. A lubricant fitnng 35 onthe cap 36 may be used when desired, and the cap in turn retains thethrust rings and hearing about the spindle. A packing ring 37 is mountedon the collar 39 wh|le t he retainer ring 40 serves to hold the packing41 in position.

Particular attention is directed to the form of the body 2 in the upperportion of the chamber 4 where the walls are formed as a part of thebody and arranged to provide an opening 51 which is in the form of areservoir to receive the sealing material. Two such reservoirs 52 havebeen provided, and these reservoirs are open at 53 for the entrance ofpressure which may leak into the gate chamber from the high pressureside of the valve. Under such circumstances a high pressure will beexerted on the top 55 of the barriers 56, which are slidably arranged ineach of the reservoirs.

Attention is also directed to the construction of the tapered base 58 ofeach of the reservoirs and the arrangement of the outlet 59 therein.Attention is also directed to the beveled area 60 on the base of eachbarrier 56 which permits it to seal upon the conical base 58 when thesealing material has been exhausted from the reser voir.

Fig. 3 illustrates a broken sectional view of the body 2, thelgatechamber 4, and the gate member-parts 22 and 2 Fig. 3 shows a fitting 62which is threaded at 63 into an opening in the body whereby an inlet 64for lubricant is scaled by a check valve 65 when the cover 66 is removedto release the seal 67, when sealing material is to be introduced.

The back pressure ball valve 69 prevents the back flow of the lubricantafter it has passed into the inlet 70 and thence to the sealing materialpassage 71 from the fitting into tlhe depression 72 in the seat ring 7or 8, as the case may c.

It seems obvious that when sealing material is introduced through thefitting 62 such material will flow through the inlet 70 and the sealingmaterial passage 71. From the passage 71 the sealing material will inturn flow around the seat ring 7 through the groove 72, which isarranged in the periphery of the seat ring, which seats in the recess orcounterbore 9. This groove 72 is in the form of an annular recess aroundthe seat ring and is arranged for alignment with the outlet 59. As amatter of fact, while 59 has been designated as an outlet, it is soemployed when the flow of the sealing material is out of the reservoirfor distribution, but when sealing material is being introduced from thefitting 62, as now being described, the outlet is as matter of fact aninlet because the sealing material will move into the bottom of thereservoir against the barrier 56 and in this manner elevate the barrieruntil the reservoir is filled.

When, however, the valve is to be used for a commercial application, thereservoir will be first filled by the procedure just described. I

When the valve is placed in a flow line and properly connected, therewill be leakage of high pressure fluid from the high pressure side ofthe valve from which, it is maintained, such pressure will leak throughthe up stream seat and into the gate chamber 4. Such leakage will, ofcourse, bleed over through the depression 75 in the bonnet 12 so thatsuch high pressure will be in evidence in the reservoir 52.

As heretofore indicated, it was believed that in com mercial operationthe high pressure in the gate cham- 5 her being exerted upon the barrierin the down stream reservoir would cause the barrier to move thedischarge sealing material into the down stream distribution groove,

under all leaking conditions.

The pathway from the peripheral groove 7?..will be 10 through theconduit in the seat rings 7 and 8 to the face 82 of each ring which isexposed in the gate chamber in such manner that the parts 21 and 22 ofthe gate willlcontact the seat rings.

Gate valves heretofore employed a distribution groove 15 85, disposed inthe face of the seat and in cooperation with the face of the gate memberthe sealing material is distributed to establish a lubricant seal. Asindicated, heretofore it has been discovered that at low leakage suchgroove does not as a matterof fact always auto- 20 matically fill withsealing material, as has heretofore. been understood or expected, andactual inspection of many supposedly lubricated valves has proven beyondargument that in many instances the sealing material never reaches thedistribution groove, such as 85.

In the present construction, therefore, the arrangement of the structurehas been somewhat modified, and to insure that there will be a flow ofreservoir stored sealing material through the conduit 80, there has beenprovided a by-pass depression or slot 86 in the exposed face of each ofthe gate parts and, as best seen in Fig. 5, provides communicationbetween the conduit 80 of each seat with distribution grooves 85 whenthe gate member is in closed position. By producing by-pass 86 in thegate face, when the gate is raised to open the valve, communication willbe cut off between by-pass 86 and groove 85, thereby preventing loss oflubricant sealing material into the flow passage.

This by-pass is so arranged that there remains a metalto-metal seat 87as a peripheral area around the outside of words, with the springs 23[20] urging the gate parts away from each other and against theseat,there will be a metal-to-metal contact between the gate parts and theseats. to prevent leakage. It is to be understood, however, that linepressure against the down stream gate part establishes a high unitstress of metal-to-metal contact.

Of course, at the upstream seat the high pressure against the exposedpart of the gate member will probably cause the upstream gate part to bemoved away from the seat and leakage of the high pressurewill enter intothe gate chamber. Such high pressure is then available in the gatechamber and between the gate parts, and will tend to force the gate part22 againstthe down stream seat. In this manner there will be ametal-to-metal seat at 90 on the down stream flow port, the direction offlow being indic atcd by the arrow 91. This merely illustrates theoperat on of the sealing system with the pressure applied to the rightside of the valve. Since the valve is equipped with an independentsealing system at each flow port the valve will be sealed at the rightflow port in the manner above indicated, the line pressure to be appliedto the left side. The particular advantage of the present inventionresides in the arrangement for the relatively free moving of the sealingmaterial through the conduit 80, the lay-pass 86, and thence into thedistribution groove 85.

In this manner, if there is suflicient diflcrential pressure across thebarrier 56, then the barrier will move down and in turn move sealingmaterial through the outlet 59 and the conduit 80 to the by-pass 86, andthence into the distribution groove 85. Heretofore, it was understoodthat the disposition of the groove 85 in the seat 7, regardless ofwhether a removable seat such as the ring 7 were provided or whether anintegral scat were created in the body of the valve, there has alwaysbeen a metal-to-metal between the gate and the seat at the inner andouter peripheries of the groove 85.

It was believed that such inner metal contact between the gate and cseat was a necessary structure to prevent the escape of sealing materialinto the down stream flow line 3. Such a metal-to-metal seat inside ofthe distribution groove, as a matter of fact, has been found not only tobe an objectionable feature but to be absolutely unnecessary, because ofthe conception of the present'invcntion whereby the area inside of thescat ring interiorly of the groove 85 is shown as being the distributiongroove 85, as seen in Fig. 1; In other ripheral metal-tocut away oroffset at 95 in order to provide a spaced depression through whichsealing material from the reservoir may be fed quickly and automaticallyinto the interstlce between the adjacent faces of the seat and gatecreated by this depression.

The quick movement of sealing material caused by this depression 95 hasbeen found to be of substantial help because in this manner any leakagefrom groove 85 into the down stream flow line serves to permit movementinteriorly of the viscous sealing material to such an extent that thereis sufficient difierential force at relatively low line pressurestoinsure a flow of lubricant material into the distribution groove,assuring that such sealing material will flow through the by-pass, theconduit, the depression, the outlet, all connected from the reservoir 51below the barrier 56.

As a matter of fact it has been found that, where there is sufficientleakage to encourge movement of the seahng material, the pressure on thelower side of the barrier 56 is reduced sufficiently that the highpressure which has leaked into the gate chamber there will, as a matterof fact, be created a sufiicient differential pressure across thebarrier 56 to cause quick feeding of the sealing material in accordancewith the leakage into the down stream flow line of line fluid trapped ingroove 85.

Actual tests of the above-described theory have been proven beyondquestion, because in actual tests observation through the flow passage 3indicates that only a very small ring of sealing material will appearbetween the gate and the offset surface 95, and that upon increase inthe pressure on the high pressure side of the valve there is not anyadditional leakage of sealing material once the sealing material sealhas been created. Of course, any increase in the high pressure leakinginto the gate chamber will be sealed also by the metaI-to-rnetal seal at90 and the increase in the high pressure within the gate chamber 4. Inactual practice the spacing of the depression 95 to the gate face is inthe order of .002 or less, which in cooperation with the viscous sealingmaterial used insures a reliable and stable lubricant seal.

In an actual test, the application of the normal city water pressure of60 pounds per square inch was found to be sufficient to not only fillthe distribution groove because of the difierential pressure but to forma small bead of sealing material at 90 between the gate and the flowpassage at the offset area. Further increase of the high pressure tomore than 10,000 pounds per square inch from 60 pounds did not cause anysubstantial change in the bead of sealing material, because of the closespacing of depression 95 which stopped the leak and in this mannerobviated the escape of any additional sealing material into the downstream flow line.

In this embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, the annular axiallyolf-set or recessed area 95 provides the desired channel between groove85 and the flow passage through the seat ring. Fig. 6 illustratesanother embodiment wherein the inner annular sealing surface 95:: is

body to convey lubricant from said reservoir to said groove.

2. A lubricated gate valve, comprising, a body having a flow waytherethrough, a gate reciprocable in the body across said flow way, anannular seat in said flow way having an annular sealing face slidablyengageable by a side face of said gate, a continuous annular lubricantgroove in said sealing face surrounding said flow way, said groove beingdisposed between the inner and outer margins of the sealing face to formseparate inner and outer concentric gate-sealing areas, said inner areabeing axially depressed slightly with respect to said outer area to forma shallow annular pressure-leak channel between said inner area and theadjacent portion of the side face of the gate providing communicationbetween said groove and the flow way, a lubricant reservoir in said bodyexposed to fluid pressure therein, and means responsive to the fluidpressure in said body to convey lubricant from said reservoir to saidgroove.

3. A lubricated gate valve, comprising, a body having a flow waytherethrough, a gate reciprocable in the body across said flow way, anannular seat in said flow way having an annular sealing face slidablyengageableby a side face of said gate, a continuous annular lubricantgroove in said sealing face surrounding said flow way, said groove beingdisposed between the 'inner and outer margins of the sealing face toform separate inner and outer concentric gate-sealing areas, a radialpressureleak channel in the surface of said inner areaprovidingcommunication between said lubricant groove and the flow way, alubricant reservoir in said body exposed to made flush with outersurface 90a but a shallow radial assure movement of sealing materialinto groove 85 from reservoir 51.

Broadly, the invention contemplates the provision of an offset portionon the inner annular segment of the seat surface so as to provide asealing material seal be tween the seat and the gate or other' closuremember in combination with a metal-to-metal seal between the seat andthe gate or closure member.

What is claimed is:

1. A lubricated gate valve, comprising, a body having a flow waytherethrough, a gate reciprocable in the body across said flow way, anannular seat in said flow way having an annular sealing face slidablyengageable by a side face of the gate, a continuous annular lubricantgroove in said sealing face surrounding said flow way, said groove beingdisposed intermediate the inner and outer margins of the sealing face toform separate inner and outer concentric gate-sealing areas, apressure-leak channel extending across said inner sealing area providingcommunication between said groove and said flow way, a lubricantreservoir in said body exposed to fluid pressure therein, and meansresponsive to the fluid pressure in said fluid pressure therein, andmeans responsive to the fluid pressure in said body to convey lubricantfrom said reservoir to said groove.

4. A lubricated gate valve, comprising, a body having a flow wa ytherethrough, a gate reciprocable in the body across said flow way, anannular seat in the flow way having an annular sealing face slidablyengageable by a side face of the gate, a continuous annular sealinglubricant groove in said sealing face surrounding said flow way, saidgroove being disposed between the inner and outer margins of the sealingface to form separate inner and outer gate-sealing areas, apressure-leak channel extending across said inner sealing area providingcommunication between said groove and said flow way, a sealing lubricantreservoir in said body-exposed to fluid pressure therein, a lubricantpassage extending between said reservoir and the outer surface of saidouter area at a point spaced from said groove, a by-pass channel in theside face of said gate providing communication between the outer end ofsaid passage and said groove when said gate is in the closed position,said-by-pass channel being movable by movement of the gate to thevalve-opening position to cut off communication between said lubricantpassage and said groove, and means responsive to variations in fluidpressure in said body on the upstream side of said gate to applycorresponding pressure to the sealing lubricant in said reservoir.

5. A lubricated valve, comprising, a body having a flow waytherethrough,. a closure member movably mounted in said body to open andclose said flow way, said flow way having an annular sealing face engageable by a cooperating sealing face on the closure member when the latteris in closed position, a continuous annular lubricant groove betweensaid sealing faces surrounding said flow way, said groove being disposedintermediate the inner'and outer margins of the sealing faces to formseparate inner and outer sealing areas, a pres sure-leak channelextending across said inner sealing area providing communication betweensaid groove and said flow way, a lubricant reservoir exposed to fluidpressure in said body, and means responsive to the fluid pressure insaid body to convey lubricant from said reservoir to said groove.

6. A lubricated valve, comprising, a body having a flow waytherethrough, a closure member movable in the body to open and closesaid flow way, said flow way having an annular sealing face engageableby a cooperating sealing face on the closure member, a continuousannular lubricant groove between said sealing faces surrounding saidflow way, said groove being disposed between the inner and outer marginsof the sealing faces to form separate inner and outer sealing areas, atleast a portion of said inner area being axially depressed slightly withrespect to said outer area to form a shallow pressure leah channelbetween said inner area and the adjacent portion of said closure memberto thereby provide communication between said groove and the flow way, alubricant reservoir exposed to fluid pressure in the body, and meansresponsive to the fluid pressure in said body to convey lubricant fromsaid reservoir to said groove.

7. A lubricated valve, comprising, a body having a flow waytherethrough, a closure member movably mounted in said body to open andclose said flow way, said flow way having an annular sealing faceengageable by a cooperating sealing face on the closure member when thelatter is in closed position, a continuous annular lubricant groove inone of said sealing faces surrounding said flow way, said groove beingdisposed intermediate the inner and outer margins of the sealing face toform inner and outer sealing areas, at least a portion of said innerarea being axially depressed slightly with respect to said outer area toform a shallow pressure leak channel between said inner area and theadjacent portion of the other sealing face to thereby providecommunication between said groove and said flow way, a lubricantreservoir exposed to fluid pressure in the body, and means responsive tothe fluid pressure in said body to convey lubricant from said reservoirto said groove.

8. A lubricated valve, comprising, a body having a flow waytherethrough, a closure member movably mounted in said body to open andclose said flow way,

said flow way having an annular sealing face engageable by a cooperatingsealing face on the closure member when the latter is in closedposition, a continuous annular lubricant groove in one of said sealingfaces surrounding said flow way, said groove being disposed intermediatethe inner and outer margins of the sealing face to form inner and outersealing areas, said inner area being axially depressed slightly withrespect to said outer area to form a shallow annular pressure-leakchannel between said inner area and the adjacent portion of the sideface of the closure providing communication between said groove and theflow way, a lubricant reservoir exposed to fluid pressure in the body,and means responsive to the fluid pressure in said body to conveylubricant from said reservoir to said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Volpin Nov.

